


Conspiracy, In Theory

by pornell_fangirl



Series: A Place In Time [9]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Friendship, Humor, M/M, Plotting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-19
Updated: 2013-01-19
Packaged: 2017-11-26 03:05:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/645858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pornell_fangirl/pseuds/pornell_fangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gibbs has dinner at the Fornell house and Emily is nine, not stupid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Conspiracy, In Theory

**Author's Note:**

> I still own nothing. Obviously. Season ten and Joe Spano still has his shirt on....

"Uncle Jethro!"

Gibbs grinned as the young girl threw her arms around his waist. He was pretty sure he couldn't love this kid more if she were his own. Shaking off the unpleasant emotions these thoughts brought on, he tuned back into her babbling.

"...but I think it's time he started dating again. I mean Mom goes out on dates, but Daddy... I've never even heard him mention anyone and that's just wrong, isn't it, Uncle Jethro? He's not that old!"

He had to stifle his laughter when his best friend made a sudden appearance in his kitchen doorway.

"Emily Fornell! Will you please let this subject go? And let Jethro actually get in the house before you start annoying him!"

Pouting as only a nine year old girl (and Abby) can, Emily let go of Giibs and turned to her father.

"Sorry, Daddy. But you know I'm right."

Rubbing a hand over his mouth, Fornell bit back whatever snarky retort was about to cross his lips and pointed to the stairs.

"Just go wash up for dinner while Jethro and I talk about the grown up stuff, ok?"

With one last radiant smile at her favourite uncle, the little blonde horror sped away upstairs.

Allowing his natural smirk to spread on his lips as he watched her go, Gibbs couldn't help tease his friend.

"She thinks you're.... what? A monk? Celibate? Tell me how in the name of all that's holy, you managed to have a serious, committed relationship for over two years without her finding out?"

All traces of humour left Fornell's face as Gibbs followed him back into the kitchen and he roughly thrust a bottle of beer into his hand.

"We're not talking about that, Jethro. Di you understand?" his voice took on a sharp tone Gibbs had never heard before. "From now on, we do not talk about that again. Not here, not at the bar and not in your basement."

Eyes widening in surprise, Gibbs threw his hands up in mock surrender.

"Fine. Fine." he calmed. "I think you made the biggest mistake of your life. Worse than marrying Diane. But those are the last words you'll hear from me on the subject unless you decide otherwise."

Nodding once. Fornell turned back to whatever he was stirring on the stove before Gibbs had arrived.

"So when you came by this morning, to Diane's... my information help any?"

Gibbs sighed.

"Not sure yet. There's still a lot I need to find out. I assume I can count on you to pass along any information you hear though?"

Fornell shrugged.

"If I hear anything, you'll know it but I'm not exactly being kept in the loop myself with this one."

Opening his mouth to reply, Gibbs was interrupted by the return of the exuberant little girl.

Dinner passed by the way it did every month, Emily chattering on at a mile a minute about things neither older man could claim to understand while the two adults nodded in all the appropriate places.

Once her plate was clean, she turned bigblue eyes on her favourite uncle.

"Will you read me a story? Please?

Gibbs readily agreed, having brought along his reading glasses for this wholly expected turn of events.

"You go on up and get ready for bed, I'll be up in a minute."

After helping Fornell store the leftovers and load the dishwasher, he was sent on his way with an amused grin.

When he reached Emily's bedroom, he was surprised not to find her in bed, book on her lap as she had been every 4th Saturday for as many years as he could remember. Instead, she was sitting on her window seat, a stuffed bear in one hand and a photograph in the other.

"Hey, Em." he called softly from her doorway. "What're you doing still up? You should be in your bed."

Turning sad eyes up at him, Emily clutched the bear a little tighter.

"I wanted to talk to you, Uncle Jethro. It's about Daddy."

Concern flashed through Gibbs' eyes although he did his best not to let the little girl see it.

"What about him, Em? Is everything ok? He seems alright to me."

Rolling her eyes the blonde turned to face him.

"Then you're blind, Uncle Jethro! He's been miserable since he broke up with Jimmy!"

For the first time in his life, Gibbs was stunned completely speechless. He couldn't even get his brain to contemplate what he'd just been told by the nine year old. Slowly he sat down on the window seat next to her.

"What... what... but..." he stuttered.

"Uncle Jethro!" Emily groaned. "I'm nine, not stupid! I found this."

Reaching out his hand, Gibbs took the photograph Emily was holding out to him. It was a candid shot he'd taken himself on his own porch steps. Jimmy Palmer was sitting between Tobias' legs, leaning back into him and laughing at something he'd said. The look of adoration on Tobias' face was only matched by hid radient smile. Smiling himself as he remembered that day, he handed the photograph back to Emily.

"How long have you known?"

The little girl grinned knowingly.

"Since I found this photograph a couple of years ago. Daddy used to talk about all the things your team got up to back then but I never figured it out until the day I got that tour from Abby."

Pulling her into a hug, Gibbs pressed a kiss to the top of Emily's head.

"You're too smart for your own good, you know."

The young girl giggled quickly before turning her serious eyes back to him.

"Then a week or so after that day, I found this in the trash. It took me a while to figure it out, but Daddy hasn't smiled the same since. Could you talk to him, Uncle Jethro? Please?"

"Oh, Em." Gibbs sighed. "I've tried, believe me. Even tonight while you were getting washed up for dinner. He won't listen to me and I've promised I won't bring it up again."

Emily thought for a minute.

"Did Jimmy love Daddy too?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, he did, Em. Very much. Very much indeed. Still does I think."

A wicked grin spread over the angelic blonde's face.

"Well it's a good thing I didn't promise anything then. Isn't it?"

Gibbs couldn't help but laugh at the determination in the little girl's expression.

Leaning in, he whispered.

"And I never said a thing about not talking to Jimmy."


End file.
